Defending Corbyn and Freedom of Movement

Unite's National Industrial Sector Committee (NISC) for my sector (GPM&IT) met this week and agreed to submit the following as emergency motions to the Unite Policy Conference this month.

It is likely that the "leadership" will try to avoid either being passed by putting forward fudgy "Executive Statements". If an Executive Statement is passed, all motions on the same subject fall. Given how long it took to get our union behind Corbyn in the first place, and our General Secretary's recent unhelpful comments about free movement of labour, conference fudge is the last thing we need.

1) Defend Jeremy Corbyn

This conference recognises that the outcome of the UK’s referendum on EU membership has significant economic and political implications at UK, EU and global levels. Now that the decision to leave the EU has been taken, the labour movement urgently needs a positive programme for England, Scotland, Wales and Northern Ireland post-EU. This must be based on a break from the neoliberal free-market agendas of both the UK government and the EU, along with a strong platform of workers’ rights, civil rights and equality.

This conference believes that Jeremy Corbyn’s leadership is much better placed to provide a positive way forward than the failed New Labour alternatives.

This conference deplores the actions of many Labour MPs in undermining Jeremy Corbyn’s leadership and pledges UNITE’s support in the leadership election.

2) No to racism, yes to human rights

This conference is appalled at the racism, xenophobia and hostility to migrants evident from some campaigners on both sides during the EU referendum, and by the increase in racist abuse, harassment and attacks following the result. We note the increased insecurity facing non-UK citizens, including many UNITE members.

This conference believes that scapegoating migrants for austerity, poor housing, jobs and services undermines all our ability to tackle the real causes.

This conference believes that calls for restrictions on freedom of movement for people, and our right to work without discrimination based on nationality, conceded ground to the racist myth that migration, rather than the actions of government and employers, are the causes of the problems that face us. Such calls encourage blaming of migrant workers in the UK and undermine the solidarity we need to tackle our problems.

This conference resolves to:
1. Redouble our opposition to racism, xenophobia and Islamophobia and our solidarity with migrants
2. Oppose calls to restrict free movement of people or the right to work and to defend employment rights and anti-discrimination legislation
3. Campaign to highlight the real causes of poor housing, jobs and services and the part played by migrants and BAEM people in fighting against them

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Responding to the EU Referendum - Len gets it wrong

After a campaign marked by racism, fear-mongering and lies from both the main campaigns, the result is now out - a vote to leave the EU. This isn't the result Unite campaigned for, our union was clearly on the "Remain" side, though (thank goodness) it didn't back the official campaign. Members deserved better than a choice between Cameron, Osborne and Blair on the one hand, or Johnson, Farage and Gove on the other. At least, whichever way we voted, we got to see the two wings of the establishment rightly denouncing each other as liars.

But what now? Given the views of the leaders of the Leave camp, and Project Fear run by the Remain camp, little wonder that many fear for the future. We certainly face a couple of years of uncertainty and instability.

Unfortunately the line promoted by the TUC and most unions during the campaign is now coming back to haunt us. We were told that the EU had "given us" most of our rights and that we would be helpless outside the EU. While we have benefited from some EU legislation and European Court of Justice (ECJ) rulings, our rights have been hard-won by workers in the UK and abroad. We have never been helpless and we aren't now.

The referendum took place in a failed attempt to resolve divisions within the Tory Party and with their UKIP splinter, between their pro-EU big-business backers and their little-Englander social base who dreamt of getting their empire back. This context, and the lack of a sizeable left opposition to the EU, meant much of the debate and media coverage was heavily coloured by anti-migrant racism.

The anti-EU right will be trying to build on the result. Both wings of the right will be trying to ensure the discontent articulated through the Leave vote is channelled into more anti-migrant racism and away from the rich and powerful who are really responsible for cuts, poor housing, inadequate services and welfare, crap jobs and unemployment.

So at a time like this it is vital that the labour movement doesn't write off the millions who voted Leave as consistently and incurably racist. We have to offer a positive way to tackle our problems, not give ground to racism.

In this context, Len McCluskey's statement after the referendum result is awful. In amongst some good points he says "Politicians must now respond appropriately and in a way that satisfies the genuinely held concerns of the public. This includes looking at how best to deal with the difficult issue of the free movement of labour and its impact on working people". While being vague and evasive, this panders to the idea that "free movement of labour" is a problem and that it has a negative impact on "working people" (as if the "labour" that is movement is not "working people"!). This is the kind of nonsense that "Blue Labour" have been peddling for years.

In a previous article, McCluskey argued that unions had always tried to control the labour supply. There is some truth in this. But workers have taken different approaches to doing so. On the one hand, some groups of workers have tried to claim priviledged access to certain jobs by excluding others (e.g. women, blacks). Sometimes this appears to get results for a while, if the group has the power to enforce discrimination against others. But it imposes severe limits on potential solidarity by reinforcing rather than overcoming divisions in the working class. The other approach to controlling the labour supply has been by organising workers - across divides of gender, race, skill or origin. It's not easy, but its potential for results is far greater.

Finance capital can move freely across borders at the click of a mouse. Its flows can wreak havoc on workers half way across the globe. Our politicians can send arms, planes, ships and troops to destroy cities.

Is the labour movement going to slide into accepting divisions between workers based on where they happen to have been born? Or are we going to seek to organise workers and challenge those really responsible for our problems. We can't do both and UNITE members need to be demanding that our union comes down clearly on the right side - opposing racism against migrants, defending our right to travel freely, and building solidarity.

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Report from GPM&IT NISC April 2016

The committee, which covers the Graphical, Paper, Media & IT industries, met Monday and Tuesday. This is a summary of some key points. I’ve not included most of the industrial detail (and some other points) in my report because not everything is appropriate to post publicly. For jargon, see here.

Organising, Campaigning and Education:

1. Osborne’s National Living Wage (NLW) is basically a rebadged and slightly higher National Minimum Wage at £7.20 an hour for over 25s, not to be confused with the real Living Wage of £8.25 or £9.40 in London for over 18s. The NLW is based on a percentage of median income rather than any measure of the cost of living. Some of the worst employers are trying to fund the NLW by cutting terms and conditions elsewhere or setting excessive workload targets so people have to work more hours than they are paid for. Members at one company are balloting over pay in relation to this. Fujitsu has had some bad press from its FSESL subsidiary in the UK. There were many more examples.
2. Members at Tullis Russell who lost their jobs have won £1.5m compensation. The NISC paid tribute to the work of Paul Reilly, the Unite convenor there, who has not yet found alternative employment.
3. In line with the decision of our sector conference, a report on organising is being sent out to RISCs via their secretaries following each NISC meeting and RISCs are asked to feed back their ideas, experiences, comments and plans, as well as including organising in their reports to the NISC. Verbal reports showed some good activity going on in some regions.
4. The NISC’s organising strategy subcommittee will seek a meeting with Sharon Graham from the organising department.
5. The NISC is keen to get a revised version of the strategic report on the sector produced for the sector conference about four years ago.
6. Unite has created a new Manufacturing Combine bringing together reps from relevant sectors. An initial meeting had explored its remit and goals and set up some work groups. We elected two NISC members to attend on behalf of the GPM&IT sector.
7. I gave a report on the use of Skype to increase participation of members not at sites where face to face members’ meetings were practicable. These have been well received by members and are helping offline organising and the education of members about issues and their rights.
8. Education is under attack generally, from student fees, abolition of EMA, academisation of schools and cuts to adult education. Training for union reps is part of adult education, which has faced cuts of 50% this year. It is anticipated that all funding may be removed from July 2017, which will require major changes to trade union education. While Unite, other unions and organisations work on strategies to respond, workplaces are encouraged to get as many reps through training as possible before funding is removed. As always, there is a push to increase the participation of young members, women and BAEM members.

Health & Safety:

1. International Workers’ Memorial Day is 28^th April 2016. There are Unite posters, stickers etc on the theme “strong laws, strong enforcement, strong unions” available from offices or the web site. The intention is to highlight the threat to health and safety from government cuts and the Trade Union Bill. Other resources are available from the TUC and Hazards.
2. Stress is the biggest health issue facing workplaces, and Unite will be updating its existing guidance.
3. The TUC health and safety and organising guide is now available in PDF and epub formats via https://www.tuc.org.uk/HandSandOrganising
4. Unite is updating its H&S guide, the 2014 version is online. Susan Murray and Bud Hudspith are keen to hear members’ views on what issues should be in the new edition, the most suitable format, and any other comments.

Political:

1. The Lords are still discussing the Trade Union Bill and the situation with amendments should be clearer around the end of next week. Though there may be progress on electronic balloting, the idea of secure workplace balloting, essential to raising turnout and avoiding a “digital divide”.
2. The Tories are carrying out a triple attack to weaken political opposition. The Trade Union Bill aims to slash funding to the Labour Party, boundary changes will disproportionately eliminate Labour-held seats, and changes to voter registration have disenfranchised millions of people – disproportionately young, poor and in insecure housing.
3. Unite is encouraging people to register to vote, and to opt for a postal vote as this delivers a higher turnout.
4. While media attention is on the Euro-referendum campaign there are election for councils, devolved government etc for the entire country on 5 May. Unite is campaigning for a Labour vote. It is likely that Labour will suffer losses as it did very well the last time this set of council seats came up. There is also concern that UKIP will pick up seats so Unite has produced material highlighting that far from being an anti-establishment party they are cosy with big business and in favour of cuts to public services and workers’ rights. EU citizens living in the UK can vote in all the elections taking place on 5 May.
5. There was frustration that many Labour councillors try to keep quiet about the cuts rather than being open about the impact of the Tory cuts they are passing on and campaigning on the issue. Just 15% of local government funding comes from council tax, compared to 60% from central government, and the rest from business rates and service charges.
6. Some Labour MPs continue to try to undermine Corbyn. One effect of the boundary changes is that later in the parliament all constituencies will need to select their candidate for the next General Election, creating an opportunity for constituencies to choose candidates reflecting their priorities.
7. A GPM&IT remit to the Executive Council supporting Jeremy Corbyn and Momentum had been “left on the table” rather than voted on as it was unlikely to have secured majority support due to “concerns” about some of the people involved in Momentum. The NISC agreed to remove the Momentum bullet point from the remit and resubmit it.
8. Unite is campaigning for a “Remain” vote in the EU referendum in June, along with most other unions. NISC members overwhelmingly supported this position, but were not always confident that members in their workplaces did. Unite will run its own campaign based on jobs and workers’ rights, rather than backing any of the wider campaigns. I asked why, given that both main campaigns and the media were stoking up racism against migrants, who form an important part of Unite’s membership, and that equality is supposed to be at the heart of our union’s agenda, we weren’t making defence of migrants a central issue too. Simon Dubbins explained that Unite has produced materials to arm members for such arguments, but while not ducking the issue, it wasn’t seen as “our issue to raise”, though our approach might have to be revised as the campaign unfolded. Further information and campaign materials are available here.

Miscellaneous:

1. Keith Keys from the GPM Charitable Trust asked activists to raise awareness of the help that is available to members, for example with mobility aids, home adaptations and respite or convalescent care.
2. The motions submitted for the Unite Policy Conference 2016 have been circulated to secretaries of branches and constitutional committees, which have until 20 May to submit amendments.
3. It was agreed to have a standing item on NISC agendas to monitor and action progress on implementation of the motions passed at the sector conference, and reports can be provided to RISC members.
4. The issue raised from our sector about the implications of automation and the use of robots for workforces across the economy, is now being considered by the Labour Research Department.
5. Following HMRC input, Unite’s lay member expenses policy has changed, and is likely to change again in the near future. Allowance rates have been changed, and all claims for allowances must be supported by at least some receipted evidence of expenditure.
6. The Welsh RISC is now functional and has elected two delegates to the NISC. There remains an issue to be resolved where the Regional Secretary believes four of those elected to the RISC are not eligible because of the constituency arrangements in Wales.
7. The next NISC meetings will be 30 June – 1 July at Esher; and 13-14 October in London. NISC members who cannot attend a meeting were reminded to submit apologies in good time so that substitute delegates can be invited.

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UNITE Policy Conference 2014 - report (updated)

A good conference this week.

Impressively, UNITE has already posted the "progress of business" reports showing the decisions taken for Monday - Thursday on the policy conference page.

My own note of today's business was as follows:

• C23 - withdrawn
• K2 - remitted to EC
• ES4 - passed, so C22, K1 and K10 fell
• K9 passed
• M21 passed
• M22 passed
• M24 passed
• Emergency Motion on Esher - remitted to EC
• Emergency Motion on Freedom Riders - passed
• Emergency Motion on Gerry Conlon - passed
• P17 - remitted to EC
• P33 fell
• P35 - remitted to EC
• P40 passed
• P42 passed
• P8 fell

Unfortunately UNITE hasn't posted the final agenda or the texts of the Composites or Executive Statements online, so for anyone who wasn't a delegate it's pretty impossible to make sense of the results.  Hopefully this will be rectified soon.


As usual, there was consensus over much of the business of conference, but real debates on a few key issues.  For the first time many can remember, conference actually dealt with all the business, rather than motions falling off the end of the agenda due to lack of time.

Political

Executive Statement 5 was passed, with about 10-20% of conference voting against because they wanted to support Composite 26 and/or motions L5 or L9 which were more critical of Labour.

ES5 backed Labour, while being critical - basically the same political strategy UNITE has been pursuing for some years.  It approved more funding to the Labour Party "The Executive Council will work with the Labour Party to ensure it is in a position to fight an effective election campaign in 2015, and is not overwhelmed by a tide of bankers' money supporting the Tories".  It included a commitment to "review Unite's political strategy in the light of the result of the General Election, and the prospects for the development of Labour policy in a progressive direction".

Composite 26 called for a debate throughout the union on the crisis of working class representation, something Len McCluskey was keen to avoid this side of a General Election.

Motion L5 (which I moved) called for parts of the political fund to be spent directly campaigning for UNITE's policies while Labour failed to do so, reducing our affiliation each time Labour disciplines UNITE councillors for opposing cuts, and greater transparency in the political fund.

Motion L9 talked about the poor support from Labour MPs over asbestos related diseases and said that until the lack of representation for working people was addressed, our political fund should be directed to fight for those who do represent us.

The EC backed motion L12, which was passed by conference, which marks a significant shift left in union policy.  UNITE publicly supports councillors who vote against cuts and "encourages other councillors who might consider voting against cuts to do so".  UNITE will also establish a dialogue with Councillors Against the Cuts to determine the scope for joint campaigning.

Global Solidarity

Conference heard a moving speech from Aidee Moreno from the Columbian union FENSUAGRO, which has seen over 1000 members murdered.  Aidee herself has lost family members.  There was a video from Huber Ballesteros of the Columbian TUC who has been imprisoned since August last year.

Conference passed very strong policy in support of the Palestinian struggle against the Israeli government's apartheid state in the shape of Composite C11 and motion F11.  Motion F12 which sought engagement with the Israeli Histadrut was not passed.  The action points from the two motions passed were:

• Raise awareness, build support, campaign and lobby for a free and independent Palestine;
• Highlight the suffering, and support the Palestinian population in Gaza living under siege; Palestinians living in the West Bank who are seeing their land illegally seized by Israeli settlements and are forced to navigate checkpoints to go to work, school and hospital; and in Israel, where they are treated as second class citizens and subject to racist laws;
• Work with other NGOs and all other supportive bodies in the UK and around the world and develop a UNITE campaigning and leverage strategy around BDS [Boycott, Divestment & Sanctions] within the next 12 months.  Notably against complicit companies involved in the occupation, the apartheid wall and the illegal settlements (such as Veolia, G4S and Sainsbury's) through workforce pressure, contracts and pension funds; and encourage members to call  on supermarkets and retailers to stop using companies which export goods from illegal settments;
• Continue to support and offer practical help to the Palestine Solidarity Campaign, and encourage all branches to affiliate to PSC.  Encourage branches and regions to send representatives on delegations to Palestine, to further strengthen the solidarity with Palestinian workers;
• Organise and facilitate with other union bodies and campaigning groups, a national speaking tour to include lawyers and child prisoners/families in the next 12 months;
• Raise the issue and table motions for support of the BDS campaign in the European and Global Federations;
• Organise and facilitate national or regional delegations to be sent to Palestine at least twice a year;
• Establish the issue as a standing item on the agenda of the EC and all other constitutional committees;
• Deliver a full report to the 2016 policy conference on the activities of the union.
• Utilise all Unite the Union campaign resources in conjunction with Palestine Solidarity Campaign to bring the plight of the Yarmouk Refugee Camp to members and the wider Labour movement
• To lobby MPs and government offices to campaign for the protection of humanitarian aid agencies and access to the Yarmouk Refugee Camp.
• To demand the UN enforces its commitment to Resolution 194 which asserts the rights of Palestinians to return to their land.

Motion F3 on solidarity with the Egyptian revolution, currently facing massive repression, was remitted to the EC on the basis of a commitment to discuss each point in it at the next EC meeting and report back.  The motion was calling for various solidarity actions including working with the MENA Solidarity Network.

Conference passed an emergency motion on Latin America, supporting the Venezuela Solidarity Campaign and Friends of Ecuador.  It passed an emergency motion opposing military intervention in Iraq.

Climate Change and Fracking

Conference passed Composite C7 "Climate Emergency - Green Jobs Now!" which backed the Campaign against Climate Change Trade Union Group, the 1 Million Climate Jobs pamphlet, work with the ITUC and promoting the Carbon Cuts not Job Cuts protest on 6th December in London.

Conference passed motion D7 on Global Warming included a number of important policy positions, crucially including campaigning for a move to "sustainable renewable energy and a reduction of fossil fuel use".

One of the biggest debates of the week was on fracking, where the EC sought to overturn UNITE's existing policy against fracking with ES2 - which didn't even mention climate change.  Conference comfortably overturned the EC on this, passing Composite 6 instead, which strengthened UNITE's policy against fracking, and resolving to:

• make all members aware of the dangers of fracking
• actively oppose fracking, to use its influence to prevent fracking operations, advise members not to work on fracking sites nor deliver materials to such operations
• support and lobby for a moratorium on all "fracking" activities across the United Kingdom
• encourage the Labour Party and Labour controlled councils to take actions formally opposing the application of hydraulic fracturing technology within the United Kingdom
• request Unite Regional Committees support local anti-fracking groups' activities, including help with funding
• encourage members at all levels of the union to support campaigns against "fracking" and to link up with local campaigners
• support calls for taking profit out of energy production and distribution and favour the public ownership and democratic control of the energy industry with the direct input of local communities and trade unions in decisions on creating a balanced and sustainable energy policy

Conference made clear that opposition to fracking does not mean UNITE will not seek to organise workers in the industry, just as we organise workers in many other industries where employers behave unethically.

Anti-migrant racism

Conference took a strong stance against anti-migrant racism, being whipped up by UKIP, the media and mainstream politicians.  Motions E1 & E2 were passed and members are encouraged to join the demonstration at the UKIP conference in Doncaster on 27th September.

Grangemouth

Conference showed solidarity with the members at Grangemouth, still facing great difficulties from Ineos and its rogue boss Jim Ratcliffe.  Delegates were particularly appalled at the treatment of Mark Lyon and Stevie Dean, who had lost their jobs after a witch-hunt by Ineos, the Tories, Labour politicans and the media.  Stevie's daughter Ailis addressed the conference and was given a standing ovation.

Subscription Rates - low pay

In response to Composite 43 the EC had put forward statement ES6 describing a working party to consider the practicalities of reduced subscription rates for low paid workers.

Composite 43 was much stronger, calling on the EC to "adopt a subscription policy based on salary levels" and to "bring in variable subscriptions at the same rate as current part-time workers" before 2015.  Conference overturned the EC to back the Composite.

Europe

Conference adopted Executive Statement 3 which was pro-EU but called for Labour to promise a referendum on the basis that "this issue can never be resolved except on the basis of a clear democratic mandate".  Most of the speakers called who opposed ES3 were supporting F4 (pro-EU, anti-referendum) though there was also a Composite 10 that opposed the EU from a left perspective.

Ricky Tomlinson

Ricky gave an extremely powerful speech about the campaign for justice for the Shrewsbury 24. 

Five months after the successful 1972 building strike ended 24 pickets were picked up and charged with over 200 offences, including unlawful assembly, intimidation and affray. Six of the pickets were also charged with conspiracy to intimidate. None of the pickets had been cautioned or arrested during the strike. Approximately 70 police had accompanied the pickets on the Shrewsbury building sites at all times. No complaints were laid against the pickets at the time.

Des Warren, Eric (Ricky) Tomlinson and John McKinsie Jones were sent to jail.  Ricky described the sentence and treatment of Des Warren as a death sentence and claimed that the conspirpacy against these innocent men went right to the top - Ted Heath.

The current government is still refusing to release the papers about the case on grounds of "national security", reinforcing the view that this was a conspiracy to undermine trade unionism. Len McCluskey reported that Labour had pledged to release all the papers if elected to government.

Defend Our NHS

The debates around the NHS were a real highlight of the conference.

Conference adopted Executive Statement ES1 on the Transatlantic Trade & Investment Partnership (TTIP), a trade treaty that threatens to force governments to privatise and deregulate and even allow companies to sue governments that take decisions not in their financial interests.  The statement concludes "adopt a clear position of outright opposition to TIIP; Unite will now join with other civil society organisations in mobilising to fully oppose TTIP".

This video from 38 degrees explains some of the issue around TTIP:


Conference passed an emergency motion in support of UNITE medical scientists and pathologists in Northampton - NHS workers who have been locked out by their employer!  Three of the workers visited conference and were given a great welcome.

This press release gives some information about their campaign.  Messages of support can be sent via Mike Orpin, Unite the Union, Transport House, 5 Saxon Court, St Peters Gardens, marefair, Northampton, NN1 1SX or emailed to Terry Lodge.

Conference also backed the campaign over NHS pay.  The Secretary of State for Health in England has refused to accept even the miserly recommendation of the NHS Pay Review Body (1%).  Cuts to the pay and conditions of NHS staff are bound to have a knock-on effect on the quality and safety of patient services.  An Emergency Motion called for UNITE to "escalate and intensify campaigning and support for industrial action in our fight for a fair pay award for all NHS workers and in the defence of quality patient services".

UNITE's head of organising and leverage, Sharon Graham, gave a fantastic presentation about the plans for the campaign for the repeal of the Health & Social Care Act, which is seeing our NHS fragmented and sold off at a frightening rate.  UNITE has researched the links between many of the key decision makers in the destruction of the NHS and their corrupt links to private healthcare interests.  Details of the plans are confidential so that they can be used with maximum impact. 

Given the media blackout against those campaigning to defend the NHS (while they promote a steady stream of anti-NHS stories), the intention is to support key local campaigns so that they can break through the wall of silence.  UNITE is supporting the People's NHS web site which is carrying details of some key campaigns against cuts and privatisation.

The campaign will not be politically aligned, though clearly Labour hope to benefit from it now Andy Burnham has promised to repeal the Health & Social Care Act.  Labour figures who have their snouts in the privatisation trough will not be immune from the campaign.  Conference was highly critical of Andy Burnham's comment that the public NHS should be the "preferred bidder".  UNITE doesn't want bidding at all.  The stronger the campaign the more pressure there will be on all parties to shift their position.

It was made very clear that the campaign is not just for members in health.  The NHS belongs to all of us and the campaign to defend it is everyone's responsibility.  The level of commitment to the campaign was made clear when Tony Woodhouse, UNITE's chair, said he was prepared to go to jail if that was what it took to defend the NHS.

July 10th Strikes

During conference the news came through that UNITE's members working for local authorities had voted to strike over pay, and will be joining the coordinated strikes on Thursday (J10) alongside members of UNISON, GMB, NUT, PCS, FBU.  This will be the biggest day of strike action since November 30th 2011.

All members are encouraged to visit picket lines and join marches and rallies to show their support.  If public sector workers see their pay cut further in real terms, private sector employers will be more confident to follow suit.  Cuts to public sector pay make it hard to recruit and retain skilled staff.  Many speakers highlighted the disgrace that some of the most socially important jobs, such as looking after old people, are paid below the Living Wage.

J10 is also an opportunity for activists to make links between workplaces, industries and unions which will help us with every other campaign (including defending the NHS) and will help press to ensure that effective action follows after J10 rather than it being an ineffective one-off.


Esher

The last EC meeting I attended before I stood down decided not to go ahead with a proposal to sell the Esher Place training centre.  It appears this may still be an option.  An Emergency Motion opposing the sale was remitted to the EC on the basis of three commitments from the General Secretary:

1. Educational facilities will not be diminished
2. Before any decision there will be full transparency on costs
3. Before any EC decision, all EC members will discuss it with the constituents

Other points of sectoral interest

Conference passed motion H1 on Social Media Policies in the workplace, which called for education for reps on safe use of social media, campaigning for freedom of speech and restriction of surveillance, and control over employer policies which breach employees human rights.

Conference passed motion P42 from the GPM&IT South East RISC on Industrial Representation and Accountability.  This included "Regions must take into account, as per rule 7.2, industrial servicing to the membership on the basis of sectors and within reason allocate work to regional industrial officers on the basis of industrial sector as well as geographical areas, but in any event, any industrial officer must have a responsibility to give written industrial reports to the appropriate Regional Industrial Sector Committee".  There have been strong feelings from our sector, and others, that this has not been happening in all regions, meaning officers struggling due to lack of sectoral knowledge and RISCs struggling due to lack of reports.

Executive Statement 7, which was passed, committed to put legal training in place for officers and activists, to ensure each branch has an allocated solicitor practice, and to promote the working relationship between the union solicitor; the officer and the representatives.  UNITE legal director Howard Beckett reported to conference that all branches now have a solicitor allocated.  I'm sure mine isn't the only branch this will come as a pleasant surprise to - it has been promised for years.  I presume branches should contact their Regional Legal & Affiliate Services coordinator to find out who their solicitor is.  UNITE recovers over £100m in compensation for members each year - and members get the full compensation, unlike through other sources of legal representation.

Len McCluskey indicated that PCS is unlikely to join UNITE in the near future following the decision at their conference.

SOC Election

Conference elected the Standing Orders Committee for 2016:

• East Midlands: Raffiq Moosa
• Ireland: Frances Hourihane
• London & Eastern: Jeff Hodge
• North East, Yorks & Humber: Stan Sims
• North West: Dave Rochester
• Scotland: Ray Stewart
• South East: Sam Webster-Moore
• South West: Joe Conway
• Wales: Julie Evans
• West Midlands: Barry Hartshorn

Pete Gillard, who has been chair of SOC for the last three conferences, is retiring and was thanked by conference.

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Two good reasons to vote on 22 May

Many people feel uninspired by the Euro and local elections taking place on 22 May.

Labour is so dismal that a recent poll had the Tories in the lead, despite the big drop in living standards, cuts in services and privatisaion of the NHS they have overseen.  The Lib Dems will be punished for their lies on student fees and for propping up the Tory government.  And the Tories are the usual selves - friends to the rich and powerful - looking after themselves and their mates.  They are even talking about introducing a ban on workers striking unless at least 50% vote for it in slow and legalistic postal ballots.  On this basis, not a single MP would have been elected (let's not mention the police commissioners!).

So there's a real danger of a low turnout on 22 May.  But a low turnout risks very big wins for the obnoxious UKIP and the fascist BNP.

If you haven't watched it already, take the time to watch an LBC radio interviewer expose Nigel Farage:

UKIP is doing well in the polls by feeding on both anti-establishment feeling and anti-immigrant racism.  What the interview does so well is show how Farage and UKIP are in fact just as much part of the establishment themselves - a particularly nasty part of it.

We also have the BNP and other fascist groups standing around the country.  This is particularly important in the north-west, where we are currently represented in the European parliament by BNP fuhrer Nick Griffin.  He is getting vast amounts of our taxes to peddle his filth.  May 22 is a chance to make clear that he doesn't represent us and boot him out of the European parliament.

However uninspired you may feel by the other candidates, don't sit at home and end up being represented by fascists and xenophobes.  Turn out and vote.

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HP European Alliance

I posted back in August about HP workers terminating their European Works Council (EWC) agreement in response to the failure to consult properly over massive job cuts.

industriALL, a major union federation which covers IT & Communications, and to which UNITE is affiliated, has built on this by announcing an "HP European Alliance" to coordinate the work of unions, works councils and representatives from the European Works Council - to try to give employees a more effective voice.

It will be interesting to see how this initiative develops.  It's common practice for employers to try to play workers in different countries or different unions off against each other, or to try to create conflict between unions and works councils which are each trying to pursue the interests of employees in different ways.  Cultural, political, legal and organisational barriers often get in the way of the unity employees need to have an effective voice and it is good to see an attempt to overcome this.  Will it help deliver real action to challenge job losses or to curb management by dictat?

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HP workers terminate European Works Council agreement over dodgy job cuts

The failure of HP to consult properly over the latest wave of job cuts has prompted employee reps on HP's European Works Council (EWC) to vote to sue HP, terminate the works council agreement and negotiate a new one under more recent legislation.

The move is reminiscent of the decision in 2009 by reps on Fujitsu's UK Consultative Forum (UKCF) to terminate the UKCF agreement after lack of consultation over jobs, pay and pensions.  This paved the way for the replacement, Fujitsu Voice, whose Charter has far more legal weight.

UNITE's Tony Burke has posted more details of the situation at HP on his own blog.

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Decisions of UNITE Policy Conference, Tuesday 26 June 2012

These are the decisions from Tuesday at UNITE Policy Conference 2012:

• Composite 15 European Union (motions 96, 97, 98 & 99): Lost
• Motion 100 European Union: Carried
• Executive Statement 3 Political: Carried
• Composite 16 (motions 81, 82 & 83): Lost
• Composite 17 (motions 85, 88+amendments & 92) Links with the Labour Party: Lost
• Composite 18 (motions 86+amendment, 87, 89 & 91) TULO: Carried
• Motion 84 Constituency Development Plans: Lost
• Motion 90 Cuts and the Labour Party: Lost
• Motion 93 Referendum on Scottish Independence + amendment: Carried
• Motion 94 Scottish parliament: Carried
• Motion 95 The Possible Separation of Scotland from the UK: Lost
• Executive Statement 2 Peace & Disarmament: Carried
• Motion 55 + amendments No to Trident: Fell
• Motion 49 + 2 amendments Solidarity with Venezuela - Defending the majority not punishing the poorest: Carried
• Motion 50 Cuba 2012 blockade: Carried
• Composite 8 (motions 51 & 52) Justice for Columbia: Carried
• Emergency Motion 2 Coup d'etat in Paraguay: Carried

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